One of the most special things about this Palm Springs windmills winter engagement is how much I adore this whole family. I started off in weddings as a second photographer for several years until one fateful trip to New Jersey when the lead photographer was a no show (that’s another story for another time). The next three months I did all my weddings solo and that’s how my business was born. One of those weddings was M’s dad and stepmom where she was a bridesmaid as a teenager. Over the last fifteen years I photographed her prom and her step-brother’s wedding and when V reached out he let me know that M always said I was a requirement if he ever proposed.
The day of the proposal we had it all planned out at a desert garden. What I didn’t plan on was the fact that desert botanical gardens are not known to have large, lush plants to hide behind. It had been many years since I’d seen M in person but in my paranoia I wore a beanie and jacket to cover my hair and tattoos just in case. Thanks to social media I knew what V looked like despite not having met in person. When I spotted them he locked eyes with me and I started my creepy and oh so obvious stalking while hiding behind the most scraggly trees and bushes the desert has to offer. Thankfully M remained oblivious and V pulled it off perfectly!
With a desert proposal and a desert wedding, the windmills in Palm Springs was such an obvious choice for their winter engagement. The year before I’d found this particular spot for another session. I’ll photograph almost anywhere but I wanted the white sands and light setting behind the mountains. This spot is exactly what I imagined but you have to move quickly as the light gets REALLY GOOD and then it’s gone. All that worked in our favor. V and M feel awkward in front of a camera and they had the benefit of feeling very comfortable with me as well as the limited timeframe making it easy to not overthink it and to just run amuck across the desert looking adorable.
If the desert is your thing, check out this Joshua Tree elopement!
